330 
“ Close to Pine Creek, near Selection 31, there is a hill called Meerschaum 
Mountain, from the fact that a very light white material, somewhat resembling that 
mineral, can he picked up on its sides. I have not seen this substance in situ. This 
substance is an infusorial earth. Mr. W. A, 
analysis of it : — • 
Moistiwe and traces of organic matter . . . 
Oxide of iron and traces of alumina 
Lime 
Silica 
Dixon, of Sydney, gives the following 
Per cent. 
10-31 
0-59 
... ... ... ... traces. 
89-10 
100-00 
Mr. Dixon says that under the micro.scope the silica is almost entirely composed of 
the frustales of diatoms — probably Melosira arenaria. I confirmed Mr. Dixon’s 
remarks as far as the microscopical examination went. 
“ Keturning to Tamboin-ine, I next visited Mr. Gr. A. Ball’s Selection (No. 71), on 
Flagstone Creek, w-here a seam of coal, about two feet six inches thick, crops out in the 
banks of the creek. A section across the scam shows : — 
Ft. in. 
Coal 0 8^ 
Coaly shale ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 2 
Coal 0 10 
Clay band 0 1 
Coal 0 10 
Coarse grey sandstone --' 2 7| 
“ A small fault, running N. 15° W., across the creek, displaces the seam 
about two feet. The coal dips S. 30° W. at 12°. 
“ The following is a proximate analysis of a sample of the coal taken from the 
cleanest part of the seam: — 
Per cent. 
Moisture ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 81 
Volatile hydrocarbons ... ... ... ... ... 38-7 
Fixed carbons 50-7 
Ash ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2-5 
100-0 
The coal is a bright non-caking coal ; the ash is white. 
“ The small range between Flagstone Creek and Beaudesert, knowm as Birnam 
Eange, is of a hard silicifled sandstone. On the western fall of this range a great 
thickness of black and blue shales is visible in the gullies in Mr. W. T. Walker’s 
selection (No. 94). 
“ In Mr. Kafter’s Selection (No. 63) there is a ridge of sandstone running in a 
northerly direction. The lower part of this sandstone contains a large percentage of 
iron. In the upper part some of the beds are very soft. I noticed one bed, about nine 
feet thick, which was a good hard stone, and had apparently withstood weathering 
action well. I do not think that any of it is of sufficiently good character to pay fon 
carriage as a building stone. 
“ I was afterwards informed that Mr. Jennings had opened up a small quarry iQ 
his Selection to the north of Eafter’s, on the same ridge of sandstone, but unless it is 
of a very superior quality it w-ould not compete with the building stones at present 
available for Brisbane. The sandstone dips to the east at 24°. 
